The Way It Should Have Been
by CauscadaLover
Summary: What if Harry was a player, and he and Draco are friends... HPCC at the beginning, then HPHG... other pairings: DMPP, FWLB, eventual FWPP
1. One!

**Chapter One— The Hogwarts Express  
**  
"Look, _**another**_ Weasley," the slender boy with slicked back blond hair and pale silver eyes smirked.

Harry, his messy, rumpled black hair falling in his deep emerald eyes, glanced up at the boy who had spoken, then looked back to the redhead that stood by his side. "Potter, I can show you the right sort to associate with around here," the silver-eyed boy told Harry. Draco extended his hand, waiting expectantly for Harry to shake it.

"Don't pay attention to _**him**_, he's just a bloody git," Ron, running his hands through his unattractive orange hair, advised Harry, scowling at Draco angrily. Harry looked from Draco to Ron, then back to Draco again. Finally, Harry made a desicion.

"Draco, I gladly accept," Harry announced with a slow grin, shaking Draco's hand. "Can I come to your compartment?"

Ron stared at Harry with a sad look in his eyes, watching Harry leave with Draco. Seconds later, a girl with curly, light brown hair and chocolate brown eyes and a chubby boy with wide eyes walked in.

"Hi!" the girl exclaimed in a loud, friendly voice. "I'm Hermione Granger, and this is Neville, Neville Longbottom. It's a pleasure to meet you... I just love meeting new friends!! And this is such an exciting day and all, and I'm so excited—"

"Yeah, that's nice," Ron interrupted rudely, but invited her and the chubby boy to sit with him.

"Have you met Harry Potter yet? I can't _**wait**_ to meet him!" Hermione gushed excitedly.

"He's not nearly as great as everyone says, in my opinion he's just a prat," Ron told her, frowning slightly. "He's already mixed in with the Malfoy gang... I wouldn't be surprised if he makes it into Slytherin."

"But... he's the Boy who Lived!!" Hermione shrieked, suddenly panicky. "He _**has**_ to be in Gryffindor!!"

"I'm not so sure..." Ron sighed.

Meanwhile, Draco and Harry were chatting.

"So Slytherin is the best house?" Harry asked Draco curiously. "I mean, Ron said that Gryffindor was the best... I don't understand."

"Weasely is the _**good**_ kind, you know?" Draco smirked.

"Well, I've heard that the best go into Gryffindor... Dumbledore did, after all."

"Dumbledore is a Mudblood-loving fool... he's the worst Headmaster that this school has ever had!!"

"Oh... but what's a Mudblood?" Harry asked uncertainly. From the way Draco had put it, it had sounded like an insult.

"Why, a Mudblood is a Wizard or Witch born of Muggle parents... they're ruining the Magical world!!"

"But how can that be... Hermione said she was a Muggle born, but she did a really advanced spell to fix my glasses!! How can people like her be ruining the Magical world?!"

"I... I don't really know," Draco admitted, and for the first time his voice lacked in confidence. "But... Father told me they were, and Father is always right."

Harry frowned. "Always? How can someone _**always**_ be right?"

Draco smirked. "Clearly, you haven't met my Father."

Soon enough, the train came to a halt and the students walked out. Hagrid, grinning widely, waved at Harry.

"You know that... animal?" Draco asked sharply.

"Wh— oh. Er, actually, not really... I suppose he's just being friendly, and waving to the students and all," Harry quickly lied, though he was unsure quite why he was. For some reason, he wanted this silver-eyed boy to be his friend.

"Oh, alright then," Draco shrugged, dropping the subject. The students separated into groups of threes and got into small boats. Draco and Harry grouped with a very pretty girl. The girl had short layered dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

"I'm Pansy, Pansy Parkinson," the girl introduced herself to Draco with a flirtatious smile.

"Hey, I'm Draco... Draco Malfoy," Draco gave Pansy his best Malfoy - charm smile. Harry rolled his eyes. He was staring at an Asian girl in the crowd, who was now climbing into one of the boats, her long, dark ebony colored hair swaying with every move she made.

"She's _**beautiful**_... that girl," Harry muttered, pointing to the Asian so Draco would know which girl he was talking about. "She's so fine!"

"Cho Chang? My mom is best friends with her mom. Even if Cho as beauty, I've seen much better," Draco said, looking suggestively at Pansy. Pansy giggled and Draco gave her a rose, from inside his robes.

"You cut off the thorns and everything," Pansy cooed.

"Just for you... hottie," Draco grinned. He slipped his arm around Pansy's waist, pulling her closer. Just then, Pansy realized that Harry was a little uncomfortable.

"Oh, and Harry... Cho and I are **_great_** friends, I could introduce you." Pansy said, with a smile on her face.

"What's she like?"

"She'd definitely go for a hottie like you," Pansy said. Draco had a glare on his face, so Pansy added quickly, "Sorry, Harry, Draco's hotter."

"You're right," Harry said sadly. "Cho would never go for a loser like me..."  
  
"Aw, don't think that way!!" Pansy exclaimed reassuringly. "Cho has always been a sucker for losers!!" Harry glared, and Pansy laughed at the look on his face. "Just joshing you!! Cho, actually, knows all about you... you're her idol!! She owns all of the books on you... she'd _**love**_ to date you!!"

"Oh, I can't wait to kiss her! Truth or Dare tonight!" Harry exclaimed. His cheeks turned red as he realized what he said.

"Wow, Harry, you haven't even met her yet!! Slow down, mate..." Draco laughed at Harry's mortified look.

"I didn't mean to say that _**out loud**_..." Harry frowned, "But, Truth or Dare, is a definite tonight, or at least tomorrow night. You guys have to dare me to kiss her."

"What if we're in different houses?" Draco asked.

"I mean, you're most likely to be in Slytherin, but you have some Gryffindor characteristics!" Pansy said.

"Oh, they wouldn't dare separate us," Harry said.

"But... you're the Boy who Lived!! Doesn't that mean you'd be... _**not**_ in Slytherin?" Draco asked uncertainly.

"Oh, Drake, how can you doubt Harry? He's our best friend now, and he's definitely one of us!!" Pansy scolded Draco, then giggled.

"Is she just as pretty up close?" Harry murmured dreamily, looking back at Cho, and Pansy and Draco realized that he hadn't been listening to a word they had been saying.

"Oh, Cho again? Yeah, she is a classic beauty... of course, nothing like some people," Draco gave Pansy a seductive smile.

"Oh, you wouldn't be talking about _**me**_, now would you?" Pansy asked, scooting closer to Draco.

"Oh, shut up and get a room," Harry advised, then laughed. "I'd better sit in between you too."

"Hey, we're here now," Draco announced, and the three of them stepped onto dry land and looked up at the Hogwarts castle.

"Not that bad, you know," Harry admitted.

"Durmstrang is much better, I must say," Draco frowned in disapproval, but shrugged anyway.

"Oh, Drake, shall we go now?" Pansy asked with a giggle. Harry walked behind them, alone, as Draco slung his arm around Pansy's waist.

"Oh!" A girl suddenly ran up to Harry, her shockingly blue eyes wide. "Are you ... are you ... Harry Potter?!" she asked breathlessly, pushing her long, sleek black hair from her eyes, which were still wide.

"I am, and you are?" Harry said. Draco, hearing the girl, looked back and winked at Harry.

"I'm... I think I'm... I'm... Cho Chang..." she said slowly, her voice flustered as she stared at the Famous Harry Potter.

"What year are you in?" Harry asked her.

"Um... I think first year. Oh golly, I hope I get in Slytherin!" she gushed.

"Me too, we better get moving, or we'll be behind!" Harry told her, grabbing her hand and pulling her along. They arrived at the castle door.

"Oh, Harry, thanks for leading me to the castle. I couldn't see it, because all I could see were your gorgeous green eyes." Cho told her, staring at Harry dreamily.

Harry blinked his eyes, so she would have the ability to look away. It didn't work.

"Wow, your eyes snap like snap dragons," Cho exclaimed happily, tilting her head to admire Harry's eyes.

"Yeah..."

Cho threw herself at him and, through his struggle, managed to kiss his cheek. Harry pushed Cho off and opened the castle door. "Took you long enough," Draco said. "What'd you guys do? It doesn't take _**that**_ long to kiss."

"Oh," Harry sighed, disgusted, "She gushed on a bit over my 'gorgeous green eyes' that 'snap like snapdragons' when I blink. I mean, sure, she's beautiful, but she's a complete ditz! I can't _**stand**_ unintelligent people."

"Who cares? She's crazy about you, mate," Draco gave Harry a lopsided grin.  
  
"No different from Pansy's obsession with you," Harry laughed, glancing over at Pansy, who was watching Draco with large puppy eyes. "Then again, at least Pansy's not a ditz..."

"True, true," Draco grinned.

Harry was about to respond when he got cut off when Cho launched herself at him, covering his eyes from behind and asking sweetly, "Guess who?!"

"Hmm... lemme think... I wonder who," Harry replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh, silly snookums!! It's _**me**_, Cho!!" Cho giggled giddily. "Anyway, what now?!"

"The sorting," Harry told her a bit sharply, rolling his eyes. "So you wanna be in Slytherin, do you?"

"Of course, snookums!!"

"Er— pardon me, I thought you just called me snookums," Harry laughed at his stupidity. Nobody would call him that!

"But, Harry, silly, I _**did**_!!"

Harry moaned in obvious disgust.

Meanwhile, two friends, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, were waving to Parvati's twin sister, Padma Patil. Lavender had light brown hair and hazel- green eyes, while Parvati had black hair and gray eyes. That was when two hot redheads walked over.

"Hey girls, you been sorted yet?" one of them asked.

"No, we're waiting for that," Lavender told the one who had spoken. "I'm Lavender, Lavender Brown. This is—"

"I'm Parvati Patil," Parvati interrupted, introducing herself, and smiling at the twins. "And you are?"

"I'm Fred Weasley," said the one who had spoken, "And that's my twin, George. We're second year Ravenclaws."

"Ravenclaws, huh?" Lavender gave Fred a wink. "I heard they're real smart... you a geek?"

Fred laughed. "Are you kidding? Me, a geek? I hardly know a thing. The Sorting Hat must've been a bit off when it sorted me."

"Oh, don't be too harsh on yourself... I'm sure you're not _**that**_ thick," Lavender flirted.

"Don't be too sure about that," George sulked, jealous at not being in the center of the attention. He smiled hopefully at Lavender, but she rolled her eyes and ignored him.

"Hey, Ronniekins!" Fred beckoned Ron over, and introduced Lavender to Ron.

"I hear you're a prat," Lavender said. "I heard it from that gorgeous Harry Potter. Too bad Cho is after him... she lives down the street from Parvati and me. She goes after all the boys that she thinks are cute. I wonder if she said the snap dragon line, yet? Probably." Lavender said answering her own question.

"I am _**not**_ a prat!" Ron exclaimed.

"You're a git, then?" Fred and George asked at the same time.

"I am _**not**_ a git!"

"Right... Fred, which house do you think is best?" Parvati asked, trying to move the attention of the group to her.

"Yeah, _**Freddy**_, which house do you think is best?" Lavender asked and then ruffled his hair.

"Ravenclaw. I hope you get in Ravenclaw, Lavender." Fred said.

"I hope I get in, too!" Lavender exclaimed.

"Well, we better get seated... hope you get in our house, Lavender. I got my eye on you," Fred said jokingly. Parvati glared at him, then turned to her friend.

"What do you see in that guy, Lavender? He's such a git."

"Are you just jealous that he was paying attention to me?" Lavender asked suspiciously. Then she laughed. "Just kidding, but do you like him?"

"Why would I like him?!" Parvati protested.

"Okay, you so like him!!"

"So do not!" Parvati exclaimed.

  
Back to Draco, Harry, Pansy, and Cho.

"Harry," Cho said, "I hope we both get in Ravenclaw!"

"Ravenclaw? Are you mad? Slytherin is the only house that will lead anyone to victory!" Harry frowned.

"Oops-- I mean Slytherin. It's the finest house."

"Harry, would you mind coming here for a second to discuss some matters. Pansy, how about you entertain Miss Chang," Draco said. Draco pulled Harry to a corner and said, "Do you like her now that you met her?"

"Even though Cho's beautiful, I sort of am interested in that smart girl that I met earlier on the train... Hermione Granger. Even if she may be interested in Gryffindor..." Harry shrugged.

"That _**Mudblood**_!" Draco exclaimed in horror.

"She's really smart. I'm going to ask her out. Be back in a sec, Draco." Harry walked away from Draco and over to Hermione Granger. "Heyy, Hermione. You're looking good today."

"Get a life, Potter. I would never go out with you. As I said before, get a life," Hermione exclaimed.

"Fine," Harry frowned, his voice sharp so that he could conceal his disappointment.

"Eww, would I ever go out with him?" Hermione asked Ron, while Harry was still in earshot.

"Turned you down, eh?" Draco asked when Harry returned to him.

"Yeah, that... hey, Cho!" Harry called. "Would you go out with me?"

"What are you _**doing**_, mate?" Draco hissed in shock.

"Oh, snookums, I gladly will!" Cho exclaimed, giving him a big, rather slobbery kiss.

"Cho, this is too early in the relationship," Harry snapped impatiently, pushing her away. Then, lowering his voice, he told Draco, "I'm making Hermione jealous."

Draco was about to respond to Harry when Professor McGonagall stood up. "Now, everyone, it is time for the first years to be sorted. Line up, now. When I call your name, you will come forth, and put on this Sorting Hat. It will announce your house."

"Abbot, Hannah." The blonde girl giggled airily, much like Cho had so many times, and walked up, allowing the Hat to be placed on her head.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" it yelled.

"Bone, Susan." The girl who was a very close friend with Hannah giggled as well, waving to Hannah stupidly, and then sat down on the stool.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" it shrieked immediately. And the Sorting continued...

"Brown, Lavender." Lavender glanced back at Parvati nervously, then sat down.

"SLYTHERIN!!" Lavender frowned, and gave a distressed look over at Fred, who sat, disappointed, at the Ravenclaw table.

"Chang, Cho!!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Harry Potter!" the sorting hat yelled. The second he stood, whispered flew across the room.

"Can it be, _**Harry Potter**_?" Ernie Macmillan hissed in surprise.

"Bloody git," Ron muttered angrily.

"Harry, get Slytherin!" Cho gasped.

And the Hat said... "_Potter... hmm... you would do rather well in Slytherin. Great things will find you in this house... and you will achieve everything you strive for. It will be_... SLYTHERIN!" the Sorting Hat shouted aloud.

"Yay!" the Slytherin table cheered, delighted to have the Famous Harry Potter.

"Harry, you're my god!" Cho screamed.

"Get a grip," Hermione snarled back in an annoyed tone, from across the room. Cho didn't hear.

Harry walked past all the tables, waving and blowing kisses at all the pretty girls. He realized with surprise that he was loving the attention, every moment of it. One girl, with long blonde, curly hair saw him and actually fainted.

"You big, prat, traitor, you!" Ron sputtered as Harry walked past.

Harry rolled his eyes at Ron and leaned forward, towards a very pretty girl with wavy brown hair that fell across her face.

"Doll face, meet me in front of the Slytherin common room at ten tonight," Harry told her softly. Then, with a grin, he made to move on.

"Hannah! You're so lucky!" Susan Bones, Hannah's best friend, exclaimed.

"Hey, why don't you come, too?" he said to Susan.

"You bet..." she said and sighed. "I love being beautiful." Susan watched Harry leave with a dreamy look in her eyes, then quickly pulled out a compact mirror and checked her hair. "Oh, Hanns, d'you think we'll look alright with our 'date' with Harry?" Susan asked nervously.

"I hope he kisses me!" Hannah exclaimed.

"Wait, he's gonna kiss _**me**_!"

"I know!!" Hannah decided. "He's gonna kiss both of us!!"

"Oh yeah!! But he'll kiss me first!!" Susan squealed.

"No, me first!!"

"He'll kiss us both at the same time!!" Susan compromised. Then they both giggled stupidly and thought of Harry.

Meanwhile, Harry walked down and blew Cho a kiss.

"Oh, _**Harry**_, I'm so glad you're my boyfriend!!" Cho cooed. "Oh, Harry!"

"Hey, Cho, meet me in the Common Room, at two in the a.m."

Then the Sorting continued, and a few other key sortings:

"Patil, Parvati."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Patil, Padma."

"RAVENCLAW!!"

"Weasley, Ronald."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Malfoy, Draco."

"SLYTHERIN!!"

And then, with the last one, ("Zambini, Blaise!"— "SLYTHERIN!") the Sorting ended and all it was time for the students to go to their Common Rooms.

Harry smiled, thinking of the pretty girls— of whom he didn't have a clue of their name— that he had told to meet him.

"This year is gonna be the best," he decided, with a grin.


	2. Two!

**Chapter Two – The Start of School**  
  
"So, what's up?" Draco asked Harry as they walked to the Slytherin table for breakfast. "Did you stay up late with your... er... friends?"

"Oh, yeah, I was up until around four AM last night," Harry said to Draco, with a grin.

"What'd you do?" Draco asked.

"Well, for a while these annoying little Hufflepuffs wouldn't leave me alone. I shooed them away, and Cho and I kissed in the armchair, nearest the fire. I wanted it _**hot**_, you see."

"Harry, you're _**only**_ eleven!" Draco laughed.

"But twenty-five at heart..." Harry trailed off with a dreamy look on his face. "If only I was with that Hermione..."

"You're sure to be expelled if they find out. I heard from my father about this sixth year couple in his year. Two ended up in the boys' dormitory, in the morning, in the same bed. I mean no one heard anything. They were just talking, but she got tired and fell asleep next to him. The headmaster didn't believe them!" Draco frowned, a worried expression on his face. "Oh, and I almost forgot— my father said, 'It's excellent that the Potter boy has followed our path of greatness!''"

"Wow, I can't wait to meet him."

"He'll be coming any day now to evaluate Dumbledore." Draco smirked. "How long did you kiss for, anyway?" he added. "I've never kissed a girl, our age, before."

"Oh?"

"Nope... but I'm going to kiss Pansy tonight!"

"In the common room at two AM would be great, and er... maybe Cho and I could stop by, and stay a while," Harry said. "Although, she may be tired."

"I'd rather if you wouldn't. Have her come in your dormitory..."

"I'd be suspended!"

"Oh, yeah, well kiss her now, stand right in front of Granger and kiss!" Draco suggested. "Jealousy will _**consume**_ her!" he added, with only a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Okay," Harry agreed. Cho was a little bit away from Hermione's chair and was walking toward Harry. Harry ran to Cho and held her in an embrace. He kissed her passionately.

"Go away, Potter. Go back to your dormitory, where you'll have privacy, you git!" Hermione snapped.

"Hah, you got what you deserved, Potter!" Ron exclaimed.

Meanwhile.... Fred and Lavender were at Slytherin table sitting next to each other and talking. "It's so depressing. We didn't get in the same house!" Lavender sighed, looking disappointed.

"At least Dumbledore doesn't mind when we sit at other house tables," Fred says. "We barely know each other, but I feel as if I'm in love," Lavender smiled.  
  
Later in the Slytherin Common Room...

"Fred, you're the only Weasley who knows what he's doing..." Draco drawled. He stroked Pansy's hair, as she was sitting on his lap.

"I agree... anyway, let's play Truth or Dare," Pansy suggested, giggling.

"Okay," Draco nodded. He turned to Harry. "Harry, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare," Harry said immediately.

"I dare you to kiss Cho, for three minutes!" Draco said.

"Gladly," Harry said, though Draco could tell he was slightly disgusted. As much as he kissed Cho, he obviously still liked Hermione. Harry grabbed Cho roughly, kissing her, and then said, "Lavender, Truth or Dare?"

"Er... Truth?" Lavender guessed.

"Do you want to kiss Fred? If so, go ahead and kiss him."

"I do," Lavender said with a smile, and kissed Fred.

"How dare you?" Parvati said, slapping Lavender.

"What'd you do that for?" Fred said, coming in front of Lavender protectively, and scowling at Parvati.

"For stealing _**my **_boy!" Parvati exclaimed.

"Parv... I tried to tell you this morning that Fred and I are a couple, but you were busy talking about your new hairstyle..." Lavender frowned, looking at her best friend worriedly.

"Guys, let's all get together with our boyfriend or girlfriend or find one and make out!" Harry suggested out-of-the-blue. Draco rolled his eyes.

"But I don't _**have**_ a boyfriend!!" Parvati whined.

"Then get one!" Cho snapped. "There, go make out with a second year or something!!"

"Or me," Blaise suggested. Parvati glanced back at the boy with straight black hair and dark eyes. Then she sighed and snapped,

"And who might you be?"

"Oh— Blaise Zabini..."

"Why does this matter, anyway?" Draco demanded impatiently. "I don't think Harry was being serious with his suggestion."

"Oh, that's what you think," Harry muttered, and Draco looked back at him.

"God, Harry, are you obsessed with making out with Cho or something... I thought you liked— you know..."

"No!" Harry exclaimed, but Draco knew he only said that because Cho happened to be sitting on his lap, rubbing her fingers down his stomach.

"We're only eleven!" Draco reminded Cho.

"Suppose you're right, everyone to bed!" Harry announced, shoving Cho off of him.

"I'm going to get my bags and camp here for the night..." Fred said.

"Sounds good, mate." Draco nodded. Harry trudged up the stairs giving Cho a quick kiss and opened the dormitory door.

"That game was wicked awesome, mate!" Blaise exclaimed when he saw Harry. "I heard from Draco that you're twenty-five at heart!"

"Why _**wouldn't**_ I be?" Harry smirked.

"Never mind that, I think we should be off to bed." Blaise said.

"Okay," Harry replied. Draco opened the door with a bang.

"God, that... girl... she... best... never... no," Draco muttered.

"What's wrong with **_you_**?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrows at Draco.

"She didn't want me to kiss her!" Draco pouted.

"What'd you say?" Harry asked, concerned.

"I said, 'Good night, Pansy.' I leaned over and tried to kiss her, but she pushed me away and ran up the staircase into the girl's dorm. I tried to follow her, but the stairs turned into a steep ramp!" Draco cried out.

"I'm sorry, 'Co. Why don't you talk to her in the morning during breakfast?" Harry suggested.

"I guess, Harry." Draco sighed, looking back in the direction of the girl dormitory wistfully.

"Good night, Draco," Harry said over Blaise's snores.  
  
The following morning was the day that classes began. During breakfast in the Great Hall, Draco walked straight to Pansy to talk to her. "Pansy..."

"What do you **_want_**?" Pansy snapped. Apparently, she wasn't a morning person.  
  
"I was just going to say that I'm sorry that I... made you uncomfortable last night, if that was the case..." Draco nervously ran his fingers through his slick blond hair.

Pansy sighed. "Oh, Draco... I'm sorry, but I think our relationship is going too fast..."

"Whatever..." Draco uncertainly looked around. Just then, Harry walked in. "Harry, mate!"

"Hey, 'Co. Patched things up with Pansy?" Harry muttered under his breath, as Pansy piled food onto her plate.

"Yeah, she thinks our relationship is going 'too fast' or whatever..." Draco shrugged. "Anyway, so you're giving up on Granger?"

"No... the thing is, she will never like me, and will never see any good in me... I wish she would..."

"Oh, mate, don't give up," Draco frowned. "She'll like you straight away if you just..."

"Give it some time?" Harry asked glumly. "Nah, she's not like that..."

"Aw, well I'm sorry then," Draco sighed.

"She and that Weasley boy seem to have some chemistry. Let her go with that _**Weasel**_," Harry snapped bitterly.

Back in the Gryffindor Common Room:

"Oh, Ronald, _**stop**_ it!" Hermione said, in a disgusted tone. Ron had come behind her and pulled her ponytail in an annoying/flirtatious way. Hermione glared at him and went back to her reading.

"You're such a bore, 'Mione. Books, books, books! That is all you care about. I could beat you any day at Quidditch, like you could beat me," Ron exclaimed.

"_**Why**_ would I waste my time on a foolish game that I find stupid?"

"Oh, shut up."

"_**You**_ shut up!"

"You started it."

"God, Ronald. You act like a little _**kid**_!" Hermione exclaimed and grabbed her bags. She walked out of the portrait hole. Hermione stormed through the halls, not paying attention, until she ran into a 5th year boy named Viktor.

"Watch where you're going, girlie," he snarled.

"I'll go wherever I want and I'll run into whoever I want!" Hermione snapped in defense.

"You want a piece of me?" Viktor demanded in a troubling tone and threw a punch at her. Hermione backed away slowly, shocked, and Viktor tried to grab her by the neck. Hermione stumbled away, but found herself coming to a dead end. "I've got you now, girlie," Viktor growled threateningly, and moved towards Hermione slowly. She sat down against the wall, now terrified.

"Oy, _**Viktor**_!" a boys voice called all of a sudden.

"Huh?" Viktor said rather stupidly, glancing around wildly. Then he saw who it was, and grinned. "Hey, if it's not the Boy who Lived! Hey, Potter, how've you been?"

"Good, Viktor. So, who're you hurting now?" Harry asked, trying to see past Viktor's bulky form.

A slow grin spread across Viktor's face. "Some Gryffindor first year," he said proudly.

"Move," Harry muttered, pushing past Viktor. Then his jaw dropped. "What are you doing?! That's Hermione, you can't hurt **_her_**."

"Oh?" Viktor asked.

"Yeah," Harry said angrily. "So back away from the lady. I don't want you touching Hermione. Any first year but her."

"Fine, Potter," Viktor sighed, looking disappointed, and stepped away from where he had cornered Hermione. Promptly, he lumbered off, most likely looking for his next victim.

"You alright?" Harry asked Hermione kindly as Viktor left, holding out a hand and helping her up. "Sorry about Viktor, he likes beating up younger students..."

"No thanks to _**you**_," Hermione snapped angrily as she stood, her eyes blazing with anger. "And you're friends with that git, Potter?"

"No— it's not like that, 'Mione... it's just, we've known each other for a while. He's the only other wizard that lives on my street, at home..."

"And he beats up on people smaller then him!"

"And...?" Harry asked uncertainly, wondering what on earth would be wrong with that.

"He was going to hurt me! Honest, Potter, you are unbelievably thick! I don't know why I'm talking to such a _**bloody prat**_! Why, you're worse than Ronald!" And with that, Hermione stormed off angrily.

"What did I say?" Harry asked himself miserably. Hermione ran right back into the Gryffindor Common Room, snapping the password at the Fat Lady angrily.

"Alright, dearie, don't be impatient!" the Fat Lady cooed, and the portrait swung open.

"'Mione!" Ron grumbled angrily. "Why are you back?"

"No reason, Ronald," Hermione snapped, looking up at the redhead.

"So, did you do anything interesting?"

"I was chased down by some stupid fifth year... and saved by _**Potter**_, of all people! I don't think you'd call that interesting at all, do you?!" She shrieked viciously.

"Whoa, calm down, 'Mione... I think you need to talk this out."

"Ronald!! I think it's because I'm Muggle-born. I heard that the whole Slytherin hoard all hate Muggle-borns except for Ha— I mean, Potter. Apparently, he loves Muggle-borns."

"Did you ever rule out the possibility that he may not hate you? I think young Harry has a thing for our 'Mione!"

"Don't be such a prat!"

And, meanwhile, at Slytherin house, Harry sulked around while Cho bothered him.

"God, Harry... this is so _**boring**_. All you've done is mope around!" Cho exclaimed. "You wouldn't even let me kiss you."

"I'm pissed off, okay?" Harry exclaimed. He walked up the stairs to the common room slowly. "You would too, if you saved someone's life and then she flicked you off."

"She?!" Cho exclaimed. "I don't like the sound of that. Who was it?"

"You don't know her, okay? Just leave me alone, or I'll dump you."

Cho looked worried, but said, "Bye, Harry. Talk to you later."

Harry just walked away in silence.


End file.
